Cardiff City v. Arsenal 0-0 25/Jan/09

An Emirates rematch will take place on February 16th due to the tie that today the Gunners sustained against Cardiff City at Ninian Park. In the welcome to modern football for Aarom Ramsey the Bluebirds ensured the recap in a tough and congestionated travel to London. In other results Man Utd edged Spurs in a nother dismal appearance of Giovani dos Santos. The Gunners were relentless for times, and miserable in others. Even though the result is tricky any team who could have got the lead would certainly deserved the match. Cardiff proved to be a worthy challenger with all the fuss going around last year's FA against Portsmouth.





Before any formal comments on the match I would like to digress on the beautiful ground that Ninian Park is. It reminded me of the good old Highbury. But in the match by the first fifteen minutes Cardiff had arrived four times, all equally dangerous, through Burke, McCormack and Bothroyd twice, respectively. As the minutes went by and possession changed opportunities by both sides were continuosly leaping forward and backwards. Ramsey seemed quite nervous and although he received many flak from the stands and pundits for this match, I think he made a good appearance considering his state. The game swooped for the Gunners and by the 35' Arsenal choked Cardiff and it had at least 75% of possession and all Cardiff in their box. With this tempo the match ended in a high pitch radical speed with both teams going for the lead.





And for the sake of the good game another thundering half was delivered by Arsenal, this time with a full push to get the lead; two shots by van Persie secured this. Unfortunately enough Ramsey went off, earning applauses as well as boos from the stands. The Gunners went tempestively to the front and Cardfif took advantage of this position with several counterattacks. With the introduction of Adebayor in the 66' the attack of the Gunners acquired depth, something that Bendtner did not seem to do. While minutes piled up, reaching the final ten, the Gunners relentlessly pursued the lead with a 90% possesion in the last five. By the finals seconds a rematch seemed likely but fortunately enough for the visiting squad McCormack failed to put the ball in the back of hte net when a freeekick was conceded in the 89'


Arshavin's tale has really taking its toll on me. It is as uncertain as the global economy status; bids rejected by a monstruosly rich Russian club on a late talented (and at times overrated) player. Although Gunners transfer sagas had all been full of rocks and cliffs, with certain players I got the feeling that they will eventually be landing their boots at the Grove, such as Samir's case. Just to wait is what appears to be desperating but patience is the friends of transfers.

Dissapoiting was the result fo Burnley, as well as Osasuna, got their deserved heads-up when facing heroically a stronger opposition. Certainly the Carling Cup is a tournament to respect, but for the Spurs. If that is the only silverware the North Londoners can get, let them have it!
What will appear to be the next "Capital Punsihment V" could take place in the Fifth Round of the Cup due to the draw that took place today; Arsenal/Cardiff City v. Burnley/West Brom.

Hull City v. Arsenal 1-3 16/Jan/08

Another late show ensured Arsenal three points in the title persecution at the Tigers ground yesterday. Next match appears to be a comfortable one as the Gunners travel to Cardiff in the FA Cup fourth round. At least a deep breath from Wenger's men was won, for the lost of more points could rule out the Gunners from a Champions league spot. Three objectives are in the horizon for the Londoners as the tournament reaches its half; assure a Champions League place, fight for silverware in non-Premier League competitions and win against rivals away (Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham).





Although the previous clash against Hull at home was fatal, the match ensured the winning streak in which the Gunners are trying to cement. It was no less obvious that the home team will execute an overwhelming pressure in the first fifteen minutes. So many of the attacking ideas for the Gunners in the first fifteen minutes were from the counter-attacks. Again ill-fated Eboue assured himself more booes from the visiting fans due to his lack of passing as well as Denilson. In the next minutes following the 25' the match was appearing to be another tough away match such as the one faced at Birmingham against Villa or at Manchester. The curious position that Adebayor was displaying will be explained later but in this case many of the criticism he has sustained throughout the season resulted positively in the development for the team.
And in that way the lead came through a header by the Togolese striker, on a corner by van Persie. This strange but effective position of Adebayor proved to be, alongside the liberty in which Nasri is currently faced, the top choices of Wenger last evening. Ade set Eboue in a wide shot at the final stages of the first period.





The midfield of the visiting team had an uncertain time, specially with Denilson and his unlucky passing. Even with this unfortunate asset, Arsenal quickly entered in the match with the typical touching from side to side. Again with this typical possession Arsenal dominated 3/4 of the pitch. The frail defense put things in hold when Djorou knocked Manucho in a desconsiderate way. It was a clear penalty but the "divine justice" rested in the shoulders of Cousin who headed an impossible header in the goal of Manuel Almunia. With the level on, Diego Latorre noted the difficulty and liberties that Gaël Clichy gave while defending. It was clear that the match had turn the other way round to the Gunners, and the obvious response was the introduction of the criticised Bendtner. If there is one attribute that the Dane explodes is the duty of the "late-striker position." He can be in the exact moment and the exact place in the required late minutes, and that was seen in previous matches. One point in disadvantage to him is his "wandering," which may appear to the common eye as careless.
Samir Nasri proved again his value when facing three defenders, and with a handful of tricks, alluding them. It was in a strike by the young Frenchman that the second goal arrived. Immediately, three minutes later, Bendtner magnified the gap with a fine definition. That goal should have been ruled out but the truth is that the Arsenal deserved even another goal by the Dane Bedntner.
For fuck's sake Cesc, you already sound like a manager.

Arsenal v. Bolton 1-0 10/Jan/08

We can remember Bolton's struggle with the Gunners last year for a place in the UCL, with that marvelous 3-2, and the tough away matches held at the Reebook Stadium. And as far as I am concerned (and if somebody can correct me I will be pleased) the FA Cup match against Plymouth would be the second match I haven't reviewed in this season. This due to transmission issues. I think that it was not even broadcasted in the UK. Being the other match the visit to Twente's ground due to ESPN's lack of broadcast it was this time that I had no chance to secure a review. I know that the delay of the reviews can often be irritating or even ignored but they are posted. Here the highlights along with some pictures for those of you who could not watch them.





Regarding the Bolton match Arsenal kept the tradition of no-home loss against the Wanderers. With a late show by Bendtner, Arsenal kept their fifth place and will face a visit to Hull next week.

Ofcourse it was not the thrilling five-goal match as the one of last season, but it had several good plays, starting with a wide van Persie shot at 13'. Up to the 15' Bolton had 30% of possession but even the statistic lied since the Wanderers could recover the ball immediately. Samir Nasri curiosly enough played more in the middle and with the creation of attack plays even with the zonal physical Bolton defense. This type of scenario would have been perfect for the Welshman Ramsey since the spaces were fair enough to create something interesting.
Not much was offered in this part of the match but Nasri's dribbling talent. Clichy wide shot at 30' and Arsenal box pressure were not enough to scare a strong visiting side. The period ended with nothing more interesting than Elmander's injury and a dull Arsenal that tried make an impression on a heavily defended Bolton.





Uninteresting resulted the next half, with Bolton gaining more possession by the minute but not really doing anything special. Nasri, at 59', played were he pleased and the ball began moving in several directions aside from the common side crosses. Nothing new for the home team reaching the 65', just the entrance of the favorite "Lanchero" Vela. Arsenal grew ambitious by the minute while the different passses from Samir ended in a wide Ade shot. Arsenal exasperation was evident and a brilliant play inside the box by van Persie hit the post, at 70'. Possession was a joke, with 77% for the home side. The rampages made by the defense and even a Toure shot were effortless. The inclussion of Ramsey promised good, when the late goal arrived at 84'. The so-much criticized 'Robosaur' Bendtner put the ball in the back of the net when van Persie crossed into the far right post. Bolton tried to use the last minutes to make a terrific return but the whistle blew first.


Jon Carter's latest column on ESPN was as boring and predicatbale that he is failing to impress even the less updated fan. In his latest list of the young prospects to watch, feature nearly a half of what an 'expert' would have predicted, but last year. Gourcuff and Rafael are not any more interesting regarding his list, they have proved to be excellent prospects. And that is the point of the "prospect", to look into the future, but the mistake with several picks in Carter's list is that it is yet another common place list. It is full of facts instead of the reasons to watch them. In any case Mr. Carter a little more effort could do us good. To me the only interesting and new picks are Chung-Yong and Annan. Mainly all of the players in the list feauttue in their respective awards young players list so a little more research and effort would be thanked.

"And it's in!"

I am thrilled and honoured to welcome you to my brother's new blog. Although he has not made a post yet, the first step in doing so has taken place. Here at Deviations salute him, wish him the best of lucks and support him in his new enterprise. Good luck!





In other news today's matches were good. Torino held Inter while the late Torres show took place. I really think he is one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best. His talent is overwhelming.


Good job Lionel, you have thrown more than one hundred years of football tradition to the dump due to your incredible ignorance. How come the "best player in the world" can not be aware of such an extraordinary event? Well there is his love for the colours. The note highlights that he does not care for personal records, but I think as the selfish cunt he is, that he does not care at all in the team he has been playing his entire career.





You know dear reader that I am not a fan of any sport rather than football (maybe Boxing, and I respect Baseball). And today's "famous event" held many Mexicans stuck on their teles for five hours watching the Super Bowl. In any case I just watched the dull and boring planes (F-16, that you can actually watch in the evening news) and went to the park to play footie. By the way that video has a lot of red-neck propaganda: watch Generation Kill (soon I will be posting in that).


Now, dance with James Murphy and Pat Mahoney!!! It is a pitty that they have not showed here in Mexico. Looking forward to it.

Arsenal v. Portsmouth 1-0 28/Dec/08

Today Arsenal grasped a home victory thanks to the ineptitude of David "Calamity" James. Not by William Gallas header but by the ineptitude of England's goalie. Although the resistance that Portsmouth offered in the first forty five minutes was to respect, the home side earned three points after three consecutive draws. Cesc's injury has taken all the dogs out and the team is comandless and lacks depth, possession and control, attribute in which the philosophy that Arsenal exercises, are corenerstones. It was the time for Tony Adams first visit to Emirates, and he was well received by the crowd.





First Half saw the inclussions of Nasri, several offsides by Nicklas Bendtner and an impressive failure of an inbox shot by Adebayor. Even though with Arsenal possession in the first fifteen minutes the match went quite passive and the visiting side showed no real attemtps towards goal. Arsenal were reluctant to counter and the only movements included the attacking positions were the ones made by the talented ex-Marseille playmaker. I know that this type of resumes that I make are more wide and at least over thirty lines long but in this cases there is rather nothing to commnet since the "big actions" took place in the following forty five minutes.


Second half was not so either impressive nor attractive. The interesting thing in the fifteen minute pause was the distribution graphics, that showed a 64% of attacks by the Arsenal held throguh the middle. This ofcourse has to do with Nasri's repositioning. There, in the middle, is where he is dangerous. As early as the 47' the stupidity of James's exits in set-pieces set the destiny for the Pompey sidethey were expecting a move for Arsenal, who seemed reluctant also to make one. Silvestres' defensive confussions and the uneffective counters by Portsmouth were not efficient enough to make a different progress in the match.






Nasri's incurssions were the only way out of Arsenal, in some times he was marked by four opposites. Incredibly Adebayor failed for the third time of the night in a rampage in the small box, after a bad exit from James. Gustavo Mendoza, the hatred Mexican commentator, seemed to have an orgasm when Carlos Vela entered. The young and fresh Mexican had a couple of chances, merely all crosses. In the time when the Arsenal was beginning to exasperate the lead came. It was a lead that was as comical as David James himself. In one of his unique attacks he rampaged to the ball while Gallas headed. It was a lucky header due to Gallas' closing and the fact that his eyes were closed all the time. To me, David James got Arsenal three points, while they deserved one. Gallas was just an expectator in the header, not even a "real scorer."
The final moments of hte match were spent between injuries, changes and Arsenal waiting. Not a single move by Adams' side was made. Pity for him, he deserved the point.


Finally Phil Ball departed. In his last column he made a retrospective of the past eight years. Despite the departure I still have several footy readings, amongst them Cruyff's, Medio Tiempo books, Forastieri columns anf my favorite Uli Hesse-Lichteberger.


You know, dear reader, that I do not like to make reviews in the end of the year, but in the end of the season and in particluar cases, such as Awards. Anyway I would like to wish a happy new year to each person that visited the blog throughout the year, our first year. Happy New Year from Deviations, and that all your wishes come true, I will continue with my duty even when it is delayed.